Book Review: The Perfect Match by E. D. Baker

The Perfect Match by E. D. Baker is a fun follow-up to The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker.  I would suggest reading the books in order to have the best understanding of where Cory, Blue, and the Tooth Fairy Guild stand. Former tooth-fairy-in training, Cory Feathering, is coming into her skills as a matchmaker more and more each day. But as she hones her skills, she's still doing odd jobs around town in order to help people who need it. One day as she's house-sitting for the Three Bears, Cory runs into the infamous Goldilocks. The girl with blonde locks wants Cory to help set her up on a date, but typical, no one is quite right for her. Then, Cory has a vision of Goldilocks with a prince who lives far away in a castle. The only problem? He's getting married to someone else. Luckily, the prince is a huge fan of Cory's band and wants them to perform at his ceremony, which means there might still be hope for Goldilocks. Will Cory be able to act fast and match everyone with their rightful love before it's too late?

The Perfect Match is a fun and well done sequel. I do not recommend skipping the first book, because knowing how Cory and her friends got where they are, and the complications with the guilds is important. I really love Cory's outlook on life and her willingness to pitch in and do what needs to be done. she cares about others, even those she does not really know. The action and complications in her world ramp up and build through the entire book, with lots of satisfying solutions but a great deal of build up for what will follow in the series. I was a little bothered by just how much of this book was build up for the next, but the complications of Goldilocks, the water nymphs, and so on keep the story moving along and very interesting. It was well worth reading, I just wish I had the next book already so that I could find out what happens next.

The Perfect Match is a solid read. If you enjoyed the first book in the series, and Baker's work in general, you will enjoy it. I will say that if you are someone that hates carried over plot lines and complications, you might want to wait until the entire series is published and commit to a weekend (or more) of binge reading.

E. D. Baker is the author of the Tales of the Frog Princess series, The Wide-Awake Princess series, and many other delightful books for young readers, including The Fairy-Tale Matchmaker, A Question of Magic, Fairy Wings, and Fairy Lies. The Frog Princess was the inspiration for Disney’s hit movie The Princess and the Frog. She lives with her family and their many animals in Churchville, Maryland.

Magical Realism as a Genre; What is it and What to Read?

Magical Realism is a fiction genre that goes against the accepted principles of our reality. Things that are commonly accepted as hard facts, like gravity and the flow of time, are contradicted in typical everyday situations. However, do not mistake mystical realism for fantasy or science fiction. In this genre the strange moments are accepted at normal in the world the author has created. Things we might think amazing like a robot strolling down the street or a hail of shoes from the sky are surprisingly credible in the context of the story being told.

Magical realism typically starts off with setting up the reality of the world. Then the story can take on a dream like feel or work with in alternate realities. The story often gives pictures or situations that are simply beautiful (or horrifying) but ultimately not possible in the logic of our reality. Magical realism blends extra ordinary events with everyday lives and people. To get a more vivid understanding of the genre consider tales like Pinocchio where the feat of a puppet becoming a real boy does not seem so impossible. So what should adults interested in exploring this genre start?

Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel is a perfect example of the genre. The readers are drawn into the everyday lives of a family in turn of the century Mexico. The family relationships and cooking are the grounding forces to keep the story in reality. However, there is magic at work when Tita's food allows those that eat it to feel her emotions and act with her passions. The combination of Tita's desire not to be her mother's server and unmarried for the rest of her life is expected and real to readers, while the magic in her cooking seems mystical it is handled it a way that makes it part of her life rather than an intrusion of fantasy. Beyond being an example of magical realism this is also a fantastic work of fiction and contains recipes to enjoy. I highly recommend the book to everyone.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez is another prime example of magical realism. This novel is the history of both the Buendia family and where they live. The story begins with Jose Arcadio Buendia committing murder then follows the perpetrator as he struggles with his obsessions and guilt. The family and city develop with seemingly endless crises, moving in a cyclical pattern rather than moving in a forward direction lost amid shared dreams. The same mistakes and tragedies seem to repeat themselves until the inevitable fate prescribed for the family finally comes to pass. While this might sound fatalistic and depressing, the novel is in fact a compassionate story well worth exploring.

The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende is another magical realism novel that follows a family. This story follows a family through four generations in an alternate reality that mirrors the political and social events of reality in twentieth century Chile. Here the magical element comes from some of the characters exhibiting psychic abilities. This blend of fiction, magic and some biographical family history from the author combine to create a uniquely satisfying read.

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie is a book about a transfer of political power with shades of mythology, faith and folk stories. The story follows Saleem Sinal, who is born in August of 1947 at the exact moment India became independent. His life follows a path that parallels that of his nation, complete with danger, poverty, chaos and greed. The magical element of this story lies in the abilities of all the children that share the moment of birth with Saleem. They each have a heightened sense, and our main character's ability is to literally smell change coming. While the story is not an easy read, the ideas and the history lesson included in the work make it well worth making the effort to finish.

Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands by Jorge Amado is not for the faint of heart. In the example of magical realism we see a women lose her roguish husband when he dies while celebrating at a carnival to excess. She then marries a stable, bland pharmacist that is the ideal husband. However, she misses some sides of her deceased husband and somehow manages to call him back from the dead. She gets to have the best of both her husbands through mystical means. Ghostly hijinks and sexual situations are prevalent in this story.

Other authors you might want to explore in this genre include Isabel Allende, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Pete Hamill, and Alice Hoffman.

Book Review: The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star by Jill Murphy

The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star by Jill Murphy is a middle grade book and the seventh book in the series. I had not read the previous books, and while I would have had a better understanding of each character and how they relate to each other, I was perfectly able to enjoy the story regardless.

Mildred Hubble may be the clumsiest witch at Miss Cackle’s Academy, but as a senior student she has been assigned the important task of lighting lanterns and candelabras each evening. Inspired by this responsibility, Mildred tries to stay out of trouble. But there are many opportunities for mayhem when a wish on a star leads to a lovable stray pup who, unlike Mildred’s timid tabby, loves to fly on a broomstick. Can Mildred keep Star a secret and avoid setting fire to the school despite an impending talent competition, the disapproving Miss Hardbroom, and her ever-spiteful classmate Ethel Hallow?

The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star made me smile as I read. Mildred tries her best to be herself, and a good witch. She champions the animals and fellow students that are as awkward or that might feel as much of a misfit as she does. she does not mean to cause any problems, but opportunities to help others and her attempts to stay out of trouble tend to bring even more trouble her way. When she is given the task of lighting and extinguishing candles every day Mildred works very hard and does a great job. In the process she also happens to find a stray dog that she just needs to take care of. In the process she trains the dog to do wonderful things. I really liked that all her efforts to do the right thing, regardless of the rules, turns out to be the thing that saves the day.

The Worst Witch and the Wishing Star is a charming book for every reader that has ever felt left out or behind. Anyone that has felt clumsy or different can see a bit of themselves in Mildred, I know I saw some of myself. This is a fun and charming read that has me thinking I should go back and read the earlier books ion the series.

Book Review: Penelope Perfect A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wild by Shannon Anderson

Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wild by Shannon Anderson is a children's book written in rhyme about a young lady that tries to be perfect in everything she does. When a power outage makes her wake up late, her whole day is thrown off. Could changing her routine be more than the disaster she expects?

Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wild is a great book for anyone, of any age, that gets anxiety ridden or out of sorts when things do not go as planned. I am one of those people that need to be early for everything, so the idea of starting off late is just as scary to me as it was for Penelope. Just like Penelope I like to follow my schedule, and I think many children feel the same way. However, Penelope eventually is shown that loosing the reigns and stepping outside your comfort zone can be a good thing. 

Penelope Perfect: A Tale of Perfectionism Gone Wild is a story of encouragement and understanding. It is told in rhyme, and has a cheerful tone to it, which might help readers feel calm as they read. I liked that the book includes information to help students, teachers, and parents deal with stress and anxiety and how to talk about related problems.

Early Book Review: Magical Animal Adoption Agency: The Enchanted Egg by Kallie George and Alexandra Boiger

The Enchanted Egg is the second book in the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series written by Kallie George and illustrated by Alexandra Boiger. It is currently scheduled for release on November 3 2015. Mr. Jams brought home an enchanted egg from his last journey, and Clover can't wait to find out what kind of creature the polka-dotted shell contains. But one morning after Mr. Jams leaves on another trip Clover checks on the cozy nest of feathers she's made for the egg. She finds the nest empty and the baby animal is nowhere in sight! Clover is anxious to find the creature, but the Agency is full of visitors looking for pets of their own. Will Clover be able to match them with their perfect companions and save the mysterious animal before Mr. Jams returns from his trip?

The Enchanted Egg is a great follow up to Clover's Luck. Clover is settling into her work at the Magical Adoption Center, and loving the daily tasks involved in learning about and taking care of magical creatures. When Mr. Jams runs off again to get special supplied to care for whatever might be hatching for the mystery egg she is a little worried, but content in her duties. That is until the mystery egg hatches and Clover cannot find anything by mischief in the wake of the critter, but no sight of it. When a variety of hopeful adopters come looking for the perfect pets, and Clover still looking for the former inhabitant of the egg her wit and resolve are tested. Thankfully Clover's good heart and quick thinking save the day again.

The Enchanted Egg is a delightful book. I do suggest reading the series in order, and thanks to a little tease at the end of this book I am very eager to get my hands on the next book. I highly recommend this series to young chapter book readers that enjoy reading about animals, magic, or both.  

Early Book Review: Build!: A Knight’s Castle Paper Toy Archaeology by Annalie Seaman, , Charlie Simpson

Build!: A Knight’s Castle Paper Toy Archaeology by Annalie Seaman is an interactive children's book that is currently scheduled for release on October 20 2015.  This puzzle-in-a-book invites kids ages 7 and older to pop out and assemble a stand-up castle complete with knights and battle equipment. Like real archaeologists, kids will interpret clues from medieval documents, paintings, maps, and ground surveys, and then apply their knowledge to excavate the site of a besieged castle and reconstruct both the castle and the battle scene, figuring out how the pieces of wall fit together, what's located inside the courtyard, how a trebuchet works, and much more. With the final setup of warring knights on horseback, the battle comes to life! This book offers hours of imaginative play so fascinating that kids won't even notice how much they're learning along the way.  

Build!: A Knight’s Castle Paper Toy Archaeology is a great way to make history and archaeology come alive for interested students. The book allows children to act as detective, builder, and archaeologists to build their own castle. They can read about castle life and battles while learning about how archaeologists work. The hands on action of popping out the pieces and building with engage readers and make the information become even more real for them. The reader must use their new-found knowledge of how the castle was laid out, and what siege engines looked like to figure out how to piece the paper scene together. This is a great way to get mildly interested kids much more involved in reading and learning about medieval times and/or the science of archaeology. 

Build!: A Knight’s Castle Paper Toy Archaeology is fantastic. Readers are given information about how archaeologists uncover remains, and use secondary sources.

Annalie Seaman, author of Build! A Knight’s Castle, is an archaeologist and educator. Passionate about sharing the extraordinary history of humanity with the next generation, she provides educational and experimental courses for both children and adults at the Sussex School of Archaeology. Seaman lives in Sussex, England.

Literary Landmarks in New England; Tour 9 Legendary Locations to Literature

Literature fans might want to see where famed writers Louisa May Alcott, Herman Melville, Samuel Clemens and Henry David Thoreau composed their most influential works. Enjoy these sites as individual day trips of on a literary pilgrimage through the area to satisfy your curiosity and find your own inspiration.

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford Connecticut is where this author lived from 1873 until she died in 1896. Stowe is most regarded for writing Uncle Tom's Cabin, however she wrote over thirty books.Uncle Tom's Cabin challenged the nation to really think about slavery and still resonates with many as a great work of literature and protest. The center has her spindle, rare manuscripts, books and several kinds of personal artifacts on display. There are specialized tours available for each season as well as dedicated tours for children and garden fans.

The Mark Twain House in Hartford Connecticut is where Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, lived from 1874 to 1891. He wrote The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,The Prince and The Pauper and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court while living in this home. The site houses a museum with rare manuscripts, artwork and personal artifacts from Clemens life. There is a two thousand square foot gallery with exhibits, which are changed regularly. There are daily tours and special scheduled events throughout the year. Tickets for seniors are $13, $15 for adults and $9 for children between six and sixteen. Parking is ample and free. While the main floor and museum is handicap accessible the full tour of the home includes navigating three flights of stairs.

Monte Cristo Cottage in New London is the last Connecticut stop in the literary landmark legacy. This home is where Nobel Prize winning playwright Eugene O'Neill spent his formative years. He set two of his most famous plays in the area, 'Long Day's Journey Into Night" and his comedy "Ah! Wilderness". There are multimedia exhibits, memorabilia and artifacts on display. The site is run by the O'Neill Theater and is only open from Memorial Day through Labor Day each year, so I suggest always checking ahead before planning to visit the museum.

The Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst Massachusetts is comprised of two separate homes. The Homestead is Dickinson's birthplace, and where she called home for her entire life. The historic home next door was home to her brother Austin and his family. The furniture in both homes is true to the era and lifestyle of the Dickinson family. There are three different tours available for visitors, each to fit different sets of interests. The site is closed in January and February as well as on a few holidays. The homes are both handicap accessible on the first floor, but due to the historical nature of the grounds there are no elevators for access to the second stories and air quality may be an issue for those with respiratory complications.

Longfellow House in Cambridge Massachusetts was home to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow from 1837 to 1882. The site has books, portraits and historic furnishings on display. The house was also headquarters for General George Washington during the Siege of Boston in July 1775 through April 1776. This site offers many layers of literary and historic value for visitors. With this in mind there are a variety of tours available, I suggest calling ahead to see when tours for your interests are being given. If you are planning on including this stop keep in mind that the only on site parking is for handicapped visitors. However, there is abundant metered parking nearby.

Herman Melville's Arrowhead in Pittsfield Massachusetts offers visitors a glimpse at the view that is said to have inspired the white whale in Moby Dick. The view from his study window is the imposing Mount Graylock. Visitors can tour the authors two story home and the restored barn where he enjoyed conversations with Nathaniel Hawthorne. Learn about Melville's daily life, journeys at sea and enjoy walking the same paths he once trod. The site is open from Memorial Day through Columbus Day for daily tours, however off season tours are available by reservation. 

The Orchard House in Concord Massachusetts is where Louisa May Alcott lived from 1858 to 1877. Visitors can see the small desk shaped like a half moon where she wrote Little Women. Tours of the home really make scenes from the book come alive. Guided tours of the Alcott family home offer visitors a chance to see objects of great importance to the family as well as a home that still looks much like it did while they lived there. This site is open year round, but hours vary depending on the season.

Ralph Waldo Emerson Memorial House in Concord Massachusetts is a frame home in which Emerson lived most of his adult life and wrote Self Reliance and The American Scholar. He was a great influence of other American thinkers in his work and lectures on morality, the abolition of slavery and personal responsibility. Personal artifacts of Emerson are on display in the house. The site is open from the middle of April through October each year, although calling ahead is advised. Unfortunately the home is not handicap accessible.

Robert Frost Stone House Museum in South Shaftsbury Vermont was Frost's home from 1920 through 1929. It is where he composed "Stopping by Woods on a Snowing Evening" which was part of his New Hampshire volume of poetry which won his first Pulitzer Prize. The timbered barn which Frost had written about in his poetry lies within the seven acre estate. Exhibits and lectures give visitors the feeling that they really know Frost and how he lived. There is also space dedicated to the work of J. J. Lankes, who did the beautiful wood cut images that decorated Frost's books in the 1920's. The museum is only minutes away from Frost's grave in Bennington Vermont. The site is open from tours daily from May though November.

Book Review: Wild Thunder by Cassie Edwards

Wild Thunder by Cassie Edwards is a historical romance. Hannah Kody came to her brother's ranch in the Kansas Territory to be his eyes, as his sight was failing fast. Yet his misfortune couldn't dim the joy she found in the wide vistas of the Western plains. And the excitement she found in the presence of Strong Wolf. For Strong Wolf, Hannah was supposed to be the enemy, allied not only to the settlers he distrusted, but to the brutal foreman of her brother's ranch. He felt only sorrow could come of their attraction, until the day Hannah rode to his lodge, fell into his arms, and launched a journey neither had the desire to deny.

Wild Thunder is a well researched and detailed historical. Hannah was a character I thought I would love, and the reason I picked up the book. She desired freedom in a time when women had little power and few choices. getting to leave a convent to join her ailing brother was a mixed blessing for her. Strong Wolf was a fiercely honorable and peaceful man, struggling to protect his people. Hannah's brother Chuck was barely fleshed out as a character, and the rest of her family was even less dynamic. I found some of the descriptions of the history and tensions to be interesting, but found the whole thing to be a little too complicated and drawn out. I realize that this was the first book in a new romance series, so some of the detail might have been to build up for future books, but I was ready for a conclusion about halfway through the story. Hannah and Strong Wolf find each other, admit and give into their feelings, and promise to marry about that time. However, more and more other things happen, other characters get introduced, and while it was reasonably well done I just did not think all of it was necessary. 

Wild Thunder was a highly detailed and well researched historical. For those that want a deeper and more layered read than this might be the book you are looking for. I went into the book expecting a lighter read, which might have been my own fault, and found myself skimming through conversations and five page sex scenes. i was just done with the story about half way through, but felt the need to finish it anyway. 

Early Book Review: The Boy Who Knew Everything by Victoria Forester

The Boy Who Knew Everything is a middle grade novel by Victoria Forester. It is currently scheduled for release on October 27, 2015.  This is a companion book to The Girl Who Could Fly, which I have not read. But, Now I want to because there were definitely background to the story that I really wanted to have. I still greatly enjoyed the read, but felt like I was missing something important several times through out the read. Just be prepared to want to go back and read, and then wait for book three to be released. 

There is a prophecy about a girl who can fly and a boy who knows everything. The prophecy says that they have the power to bring about great change. The boy is Conrad Harrington III. The girl is Piper McCloud. They need their talents now, more than ever, if they are to save the world, and themselves. Conrad is the main character this time around. His dad is the president of the United States and does not want a child quite this smart and Conrad away. After escaping a 'special school' Conrad ends up on Piper's farm. Before long other kids from the school, who are also special, join them and form a group that help out when things go wrong (like hurricanes). It turns out that someone seems to be causing these disasters, but who and why? 

The Boy Who Knew Everything is a story with so much going on that it is hard to describe without giving away some of the joy that comes from discovering it on your own. Conrad has always been too smart for his father to handle, and he thought he was over that. However, as events add up Conrad is forced into action. The band of misfit kids, all unique and wonderful, come together to make positive changes and help others without being noticed. However, there are things going on that are larger that any of them might expect. Conrad faces big changes, and Piper occasionally gets pushed back to the sidelines as readers follow Conrad's exploits. I liked the working of Conrad's mind and the wide variety of conflicts he, and the group as a whole, face. Thankfully there was a certain amount of resolution, but many questions that I want answered. The book is a wonderful set up for even bigger things in the next installment of the series, and left me more than a little eager to know what was going to happen next.

The Boy Who Knew Everything is a well done second book to a series. I need to back track and read The Girl Who Could Fly, to fill in the gaps from the days the kids were in the 'school'. But I have a feeling I will have plenty of time to do that before book three is released. 

Book Review: Love Games by Eden Scott

Love Games by Eden Scott is a novella featuring a romance between two men. Technology-challenged historian Regis is on a mission of mercy for his miserably pregnant cousin, Penny. She needs a diversion and the only thing that will satisfy is the latest version of a video game, Dead Knights at Castle Kill. When Regis braves the aisles of a video game retailer, he is swept off his feet by Mars, the tall, dark, and gorgeous salesclerk who works there. But there's very little chance that such a savvy gamer would ever notice a man who can barely use his computer. Convinced he needs to fake some gamer knowledge to bridge the gap, Regis is determined to make it work. 

Love Games is a short but sweet story. Regis is a responsible academic with no love for video games. However, when his mission of mercy brings him into Mars’s orbit he is swept away. He is willing to do just about anything to connect with Mars, except tell him that he is not a video game fan, never mind the master gamer that he has lead Mars to believe he is. His cousin Peggy urges him to come clean, but Regis doubts his value and continues the deception. Will Mars still be interested is he discovers Regis’s lie?

Love Games is a novella, which I missed when reading the description. I think it did a good job of covering the vulnerable and self-doubting side most of us carry inside- and how so many people think that they need to deceive to be considered good enough. I enjoyed the story, and the realistic use of personal doubts and fears that anyone and everyone can relate to.